Posts Tagged ‘decision week’

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I’m failing, but I swear I’ll do better to make a conscientious effort to blog more frequently. Anywho, the main reason I did not update you this past week was that it was the dreaded, highly anticipated, Decision Week 2009. For those unfamiliar with the med school application process, October 15th is the earliest date schools can officially notify applicants of acceptances. In other words, it is one of the most anxiety-ridden days…that is if you were an applicant blessed with an early interview or two. I, like many of my fellow SDNers and pre-med applicants, was a nervous wreck leading up the 15th. I had heard rumors that last year there had been a glitch in computers and emails about CBCs (criminal background checks) had accidentally been sent to those who had been accepted to schools, but had yet to be notified. This year, I do believe CBCs won’t be conducted until the first of the new year, however that did not stop me from increasing my compulsive e-mail checking in the days leading up to the 15th.

Unfortunately, I did not received any news (good or bad) on the 15th. Nothing but emptiness filled my inbox 😦 However, I did receive great news on the morning of the 16th – I was accepted to a school I absolutely loved!!! That’s right folks, I am going to be a Medical Doctor!!! Woooo-Hooo!!!! I tried to predict how I would respond to an early acceptance. My original guess was that I would pass out, wake up and run around the block beaming from ear-to-ear, call my mom, post the good news on twitter, facebook, and AIM, send mass text messages, and then part-tay! My real reaction wasn’t too far from this. I had actually just gotten off the phone with moms when I found the lovely little present from God sitting in my inbox. I immediately hit redial and shared the good news with her. From there, I’m not 100% sure what happened. It was a mixture of being unable to breathe, a few tears were shed, I think I almost passed out, and in the middle of all this I managed to simultaneously electronically post and text messages about the great news. When I got off the phone with mom, I ran around the house in circles, like a dog chasing its tail. When I finally tired myself out, I sat on the big leather sofa, stretched out my arms, looked up towards heaven and repeatedly exclaimed, “Thank you, Jesus. Praise you God!” Rinse and repeat until I was light-headed and out of breath.

Really, this was all in Divine timing. My grandmother just so happened to be visiting from down South and I was able to share the good news with her in person. I am her only grandchild, the last of the bloodline, if you will. My grandmother has suffered numerous bodily ailments since as far back as I can remember, and since I started down this road to the M.D., my mom has been praying that my grandmother would live to see the day when her only grandchild would become a doctor. Through all the pain she lives in, the news made her spring out of her seat and hug me – not an easy task for someone with scar tissue wrapped around her spine and arthritis all over the place. Of course, more tears were shed and the rest of the family was immediately notified. Everyone on both sides of the family said, “I never thought I’d see the day when we would have a doctor in the family!” Really, I never thought it was that big of a deal. I am just following my heart, my passions, and where God leads. When I said this to my mom, she responded with, “Are you kidding me?!? You have no idea what an inspiration our story has been to other single mothers…” I guess she’s right and I have slightly underestimated how monumental of an achievement this is for my family and my situation. In the past few days, it has slowly been sinking in. All I can do is smile and praise God!

I must say, I feel like a tremendous burden has been lifted from my shoulders, for I know that no matter what happens during this long, tiring cycle, at the end of the day, I will begin training to become a medical doctor at an institution I absolutely love! What an AMAZING, INDESCRIBABLE feeling!!! Just the thought makes me beam. Now, I’m not a smiler. Actually, I have been told that my neutral face looks on the mean, cold, standoffish side of the spectrum – good thing I’m usually laughing 😉 But, I’ve been smiling ever since the good news was delivered. God is beyond good! I’m still eagerly waiting on the acceptance packet to arrive in the mail (and a little nauseous at the thought of having to come up with the deposit money in my current financial situation…oh, the sacrifices I make), at which point I’ll probably get that great adrenaline surge again 🙂

Now comes the debate on whether I should withdraw my application from some schools or just leave them alone and see what happens. But, more on this topic later…

To everyone out there – Keep the faith! As a friend of mine put it, I am the poster-child for re-applicants everywhere!